Contact a temple near you and ask whether they have retreats or temple stays. Explain your financial situation and see if they can help. Or you could try joining a sangha near you and go to weekly groups.

Travelling requires money, so if you don't have a monastery that accepts you for a few weeks, you should consider other options. For instance, doing a home retreat following a proper daily schedule. The book Taming the Monkey Mind has advices on retreats, but you can find other sources too, like the Perfect Enlightenment Sutra, or perhaps ask assistance from a monk/teacher through e-mail or phone.

"There is no such thing as the real mind. Ridding yourself of delusion: that's the real mind."(Sheng-yen: Getting the Buddha Mind, p 73)

Travelling requires money, so if you don't have a monastery that accepts you for a few weeks, you should consider other options. For instance, doing a home retreat following a proper daily schedule. The book Taming the Monkey Mind has advices on retreats, but you can find other sources too, like the Perfect Enlightenment Sutra, or perhaps ask assistance from a monk/teacher through e-mail or phone.

Seishin wrote:Have you ever thought about the temple stay programs in Korea? You live "like" a monastic for a short period before going back to normal life. http://eng.templestay.com/

I would say though, being a monk or living like one for a couple of weeks probably wont get rid of your addictions. From my experience it takes years of practice.

tracefleeman wrote:Hi. I'd like to become a monk for a couple weeks. I'm really disgusted with my addictions and habits and would like to stop.

I'd really like to visit the City Of Ten Thousand Buddhas, but I don't think they will let me in, especially for free ( I don't have money).

Help please?

Have you tried to contact the CTTB? I really don't think that money is a deciding factor for them. But the path is. Not sure if they do short term monastic retreats, but they do have a training program for laity and sangha.

Where are you located? There are several Japanese Lineage Soto and Rinzai centers around the U.S. that run short term retreats of a few weeks, and (although I am not as familiar with those) other Korean and Chinese centers as well. Where are you located, and we can find the closest. I very much doubt any of them would ask for money if you are truly hard up. What kind of Zen Practice are you currently walking?

The centers vary in rigor and style. One would technically not be a "monk" perhaps, but at some could taste some of the experience.

I encourage you strongly to do a period of retreat. Temples and centers worth their salt will work with your financial situation -- we're not in this business for the money. Don't know where you live, but I and others can help connect you with places in your region.

One thing to add, however: don't go into a retreat expecting to solve all your problems. You're a mess. So are we. That's what we work with. If you go into the retreat expecting a particular result, you're not giving yourself fully to the retreat. Just bring your messy self to the practice, and dedicate yourself to doing that retreat and see what happens. Okay? And thanks!

MuMun wrote:One thing to add, however: don't go into a retreat expecting to solve all your problems. You're a mess. So are we. That's what we work with. If you go into the retreat expecting a particular result, you're not giving yourself fully to the retreat. Just bring your messy self to the practice, and dedicate yourself to doing that retreat and see what happens. Okay? And thanks!

Monasticism or just living in such an environment can bring out the worst qualities in a person, but then it needs to be addressed.